Snow Accumulation and Forecasting Resources and References

Web-Based Resources

• WDTD: Snowfall Forecasting Overview
• ECMWF Forecast Users' Guide Section 9.7 Types of Precipitation - interpretation and effects
• Model Evaluation Group (MEG) Winter-related
  • NBM 4.1 Winter Applications
  • Early 2022 Winter Storm Issues, Model Performance Evaluation
  • Inconsistency in the GFS Snow Accumulation and Precipitation Type
  • NOTE, these are only the latest presentations heading into the 2022-23 winter season. Older presentations are available on the MEG Google Drive
• Why dendrite branch breaking should be included in microphysical parameterizations
• MetEd - Banded Snow
• Office north of 40°N Lat? MetEd - Mesoscale Aspects of Winter Weather Forecasting (includes barrier jets, lake effect, ocean effect, and PType to name a few)

References

• Baldwin, M. and S. Contorno, 1993: Development of a weather-type prediction system for NMC's mesoscale ETA model. Preprints, 13th Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Vienna, VA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86–87.
• Benjamin, S.G., E.P. James, J.M. Brown, E.J. Szoke, J.S. Kenyon, R. Ahmadov, D.D. Turner, 2021: Diagnostic fields developed for hourly updated NOAA weather models. NOAA Technical Memorandum OAR GSL-66.
• Birk, K., E. Lenning, K. Donofrio, M.T. Friedlein, 2021: A revised Bourgouin precipitation-type algorithm. Wea. Forecasting, 36, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 425–438.
• Bourgouin, P., 2000: A method to determine precipitation types. Wea. Forecasting, 15, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 583–592.
• Cantin, A. and D. Bachand, 1990: Synoptic pattern recognition and partial thickness techniques as a tool for precipitation type forecasting associated with a winter storm. Preprints, Third Wkshp. Operational Meteorol, Montreal, Canada, CMOS, 424–432.
• Cobb, D. and J. Waldstreicher. 2005: A Simple Physically Based Snowfall Algorithm. Preprints, 21st Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting/17th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction, Washington, DC, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
• Global Systems Division, 2022: Thompson Microphysics Scheme Description and Explicit Precipitation Types
• Libbrecht, K., 2012: Toward a Comprehensive Model of Snow Crystal Growth Dynamics: 1. Overarching Features and Physical Origins. via ResearchGate.
• Nakaya, U., 1954: Snow Crystals: Natural and Artificial. Harvard University Press.
• Ramer, J., 1993: An empirical technique for diagnosing precipitation type from model output. Preprints, Fifth Int. Conf. on Aviation Weather Systems, Vienna, VA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 227–230.
• Roebber, P. J., S. L. Bruening, D. M. Schultz, and J. W. Cortinas Jr., 2003: Improving snowfall forecasting by diagnosing snow density. Wea. Forecasting, 18, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 264–287.
• Thompson, G., P. R. Field, R. M. Rasmussen, and W. D. Hall, 2008: Explicit forecasts of winter precipitation using an improved bulk microphysics scheme. Part II: Implementation of a new snow parameterization. Mon. Wea. Review, 136, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 5095–5115.

Acknowledgments

Project Lead: Jason Jordan (FDTD)

Contributors and Reviewers:

• Trevor Alcott (GSL)
• David Barjenbruch (WFO Boulder/Denver, CO)
• Steven Deyo (The COMET Program at UCAR)
• Bryan Guarente (The COMET Program at UCAR)
• Andy Just (CRH)
• David Radell (WFO New York, NY)
• Brett Roberts (CIWRO/National Severe Storms Laboratory)
• Kevin Scharfenberg (FDTD)
• Paul Schlatter (WFO Boulder/Denver, CO)

This is intended to be a living document. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please contact the FDTD Project Lead.